Do young people care about theatre or is it destined to take a back seat in this digital age?
If young people have never experienced theatre - or only been with school to some play that was "like, so boring" - then there is nothing for them to care about. It won't occur to them to nag their folks to go. If the play they saw with their school wasn't engaging then of course the lure of the Wii would be a better option.
If young people (or anyone for that matter) have experienced a classic with the dust blown of it, met characters that moved them, charmed them, rollicked along with a great story, then left the theatre feeling a bit more worldly (rather than just experiencing all-singing, all-dancing weird inflatables) then they will care - they do care. Isn't it interesting the hype around the evolution on 3D television? Theatre is 3D, without the fancy glasses.
I don't think young people will stop coming to theatre because of the emerging digital world. The digital age is here and theatre will evolve just as it did with the invention of electricity... such change opens up new possibilities for artists. The printing press didn't kill theatre, nor the radio or TV, so why would the virtual? People still clamour for a ticket to blockbuster footy games when they can watch it on telly for free.
Sure, the quality of what's on offer has to be outstanding as theatre competes against more options, but there's nothing wrong with raising the bar. I think the type of theatre young people will create in the future will be fascinating given their immersion in the digital today.
And they have to come to theatre with their mum and dad, sister, granny, neighbour, and not just with school. Young people and theatre cannot be forever and only welded to 'education' in this country. We need to share with them the knowledge that being part of a theatre audience is something precious and wonderful.
I've seen 850 teenagers buzzing in the Sydney Theatre foyers for Uncle Vanya, burley teenagers shedding a tear, Year 9s leap to their feet at the end of a show cheering madly like they'd just won a grand final... if you haven't experienced theatre with a 'young person' then I think you should immediately add this to your bucket list!
Helen Hristofski
Education Manager, Sydney Theatre Company
sydneytheatre.com.au/stced
